See how they compare to William and Kate

By Hanan Haddad

1 December 2017

Photo: Getty

Now that we’ve let Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s engagement sink in, it’s time to dig a little deeper. By now we’ve all seen their joint interview and most likely come to the same conclusion: between the glances, constant hand-holding, and bursts of laughter, it’s apparent that these two are very much in love.

During most of the interview, Meghan looks lovingly at her husband-to-be. While we can’t blame her, her steady eye contact kept our attention. But what does it mean? “Clearly, they’re not hiding anything from each other, or trying to hide emotions from us,” Traci Brown, body language expert and author of Persuasion Point: Body Language and Speech Influence, told GoodHousekeeping.com. Due to the camera angles, however, it’s hard to tell if Meghan is looking directly at Prince Harry, her ring or off to the side — we’re guessing it’s a mix of them all.

Their hands are interlocked the entire time. Blanca Cobb, body language expert and author of Method of Masters, says this is simply a sign of reassurance to one another. “During the interview, Harry’s arm and hand rests on Meghan’s thigh while his hand is enveloped between both of hers. It’s a tender, reassuring gesture between the two.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle holding hands. Photo: Getty

Meghan’s hand is noticeably on top of Harry’s but that doesn’t necessarily mean that she’s in need of control. “Typically, whoever’s hand is on top is the partner who’s in charge, but in this case it doesn’t necessarily mean that Prince Harry is the one in need of reassurance. Sometimes, you’ll encapsulate a hand to give yourself the extra comfort.”

When the topic of children came up, Harry and Meghan shut down the conversion — rightly so — but seemed eager to say that they’ll start a family in the future. “When Harry talked about having children, Meghan showed a couple of signs of nervousness when she touched her hair and give a short burst of rapid fire eye blinks. An increase of eye blinks is an uncontrollable physiological response to anxiety or excitement,” Cobb said.

Although the conversion was generally light and upbeat, there were moments where the couple took a second to reflect on the difficulties that they’ve faced, including Harry’s remembrance of his mother and the criticism of Meghan’s ethnicity. In both moments, the couple was intentional with their words and body language. “When the interviewer mentioned the scrutiny surrounding Meghan’s ethnicity, she looked away from the camera and her lips turned downwards for a split second,” Cobb told GoodHousekeeping.com. “You also see that Prince Harry glanced over to Meghan to see if she was okay.”

No matter how many years pass, the conversation surrounding Princess Diana‘s death is still heartbreaking, especially when Harry and William are the ones talking. When asked, Harry remained sombre and intentional with his words. “When Prince Harry was talking about his mother’s diamonds as part of the engagement ring, Meghan gently and subtly rubbed her thumb against his hand providing silent encouragement and support. This was a nonverbal way of saying, ‘It’s okay. I’m with you,'” Cobb said. Evidently, Meghan — and the rest of the world — knows how important Princess Diana is to Harry.

Prince William and Kate Middleton during their first interview in 2010. Photo: Getty

One thing’s for sure: Harry and Meghan are crazy about each other — as they should be. Unlike the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, this new(ish) royal couple isn’t quite as buttoned-up or reserved. “What we see from William and Kate is more typically British. They’re culturally more reserved,” Brown said. In their first interview, the couple isn’t as affectionate and are imitating each other’s body language — but they’re as giddy and excited as you’d expect.

On the flip side, what we’re seeing from Harry and Meghan is a more relaxed relationship. “You can see Harry’s fun loving side and Meghan’s American influence on the couple. Much more affection is shown and that’s likely going to be the baseline for their relationship.”